Fight And The Fury (Book 8) (7 page)

“Tell us about it then,” Bayzog intervened, holding the jaxite stones in the palm of his hand. “I need to understand more about what is up there. Tell me everything.”

When Nath released Ben’s shoulder, the veteran warrior said with alarm, “Shades! Nath, look at your hands!”

So concerned he’d been that he hadn’t even noticed the white scales that speckled all over. His palms were white, and there were white speckles and jagged lines around his claws. His heart started to swell.

“You’re doing right, Nath,” Ben said, gazing in wonderment. “I knew you were.”

There were changes to his hind claws, as well. He grabbed Ben’s shoulders and let out a joyous laugh. He gaped at the white scales and even counted each and every one. There were only two hundred and fifty-three white scales among tens of thousands of black scales, but it was a start. A good one.

All who gathered there congratulated him: Brenwar, Bayzog, Shum, Hoven, and the other Wilder Elves. They slapped his back and shook his paw. One of the Roaming Rangers even hugged him. There was a great deal of excitement inside the throng of well-tempered men.

“Nath,” Bayzog said, “tell us. What happened up there? Maybe that explains this.”

His mind raced through everything from the moment he had left on his quest to save Bayzog: the bull dragons, the spiny back sand crawlers, the skeletons and ghost soldiers, and …

“The Lurker,” he said.

“The what?” Ben said, leaning closer. “What is a lurker?”

Nath’s mind drifted, however. He still couldn’t shake the memory of that foul creature devouring him. The foul smell of its rancid breath still lingered in his nostrils.
That had to be it.
So many minds had been freed from the horrible being. Hundreds. Men, women, children of all the races, even dragons the lurker had devoured.

Snap. Snap. Snap.

“Huh?” Nath said, blinking.

Ben was snapping his fingers in his face.

“Are you still with us?” the warrior said.

“Yes,” Nath said.

“Well,” Ben said, hitching his leg up on a log. “Get on with it, unless you’ve lost your chattering tongue. And don’t leave out any details.”

“Alright, Ben, alright.”

Nath went through everything. The floating rocks. Spying from the towers. Fighting and then running from the skeletons only to have them almost catch him on the floating rocks. The inverted stairs. The fall from the cavern into the river before finishing his battle with the bull dragons.

“You really plunged hundreds of feet with the gnomes attached to your britches?” Brenwar said, sniggering. “Tell me that again. I’d love to have seen their faces. Stupid gnomes. Always trying to be like dwarves without wits about them. Har!”

“That’s quite a story Nath,” Bayzog said, holding the egg-shaped stones. “Now I just have to figure out what Otter Bone needed with these.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” Nath said. “It is a shame what happened to him though. And it’s disappointing he was so deceitful. I’m glad you are well now, my friend.”

“I just wish you hadn’t needed to risk your scales on my behalf. I don’t think anyone else could have survived what you did,” Bayzog said. “At least Otter Bone was honest about that.”

“I would have made it,” Brenwar said.

“
Sure
you would have,” Ben said, laughing.

“Let’s go then,” Brenwar said, jumping up and heading back toward the Floating City.

Nath walked over, grabbed Brenwar, and said, “You’d never make it up the floating rocks. Give me a moment, everyone.”

Nath made his way through the forest to the spot where the bull dragons had fallen. The piney forest was a disaster. Huge divots were clawed up in the ground. Any trees not fallen or broken were burnt. If he didn’t know better, he would think an army of giants had stormed through there.

“They should be buried,” he said, running his fingers over the great horns of one fallen foe dragon. Guilt seeped into him. A tear formed in his eye. “They’re still my brothers.”

He could see poachers arriving after he had gone. Perhaps they lurked in the forest already. Dragon scales, horns, claws, teeth, and meat were individually worth a fortune. The lot would bring a small kingdom. He didn’t want to let the evil Clerics of Barnabus get their hands on it, but there were other things he had to do.

He sighed.

For decades, he had protected the dragons. They’d been nearly impossible to find. Now, they cropped up everywhere. And they wanted to kill him.

Where in Nalzambor are the good ones?

Again, he spied the city looming above the river, between the clouds. He could see the skeletons still searching the streets for him. Countless heads of the undead clawing for his throat.

Perhaps there is another way. A flying potion, perhaps.

His instincts fired. He wheeled around and found himself facing Shum and Hoven.

“One of our brethren found tracks,” Shum said. “Gnome tracks.”

“Up the riverbank?” Nath said.

“Yes.”

“Good,” Nath said, “they listened to me. How far?”

“Two miles upriver, towards the River Cities. I’ve dispatched more Roaming Rangers to follow after. He said the trail was only hours old, but that they moved in a hurry.” Shum said.

“In a hurry how?” said Nath.

“As in, something else was already tracking them. Big. Heavy. ”

“What?”

“Tracks he’d never seen before.”

Nath’s blood raced. If anything happened to the gnomes, it would be his fault.

“Let’s go then!”

CHAPTER 15

“Nath,” Bayzog said, “tell me more about the dream. What did you see?”

“A moment,” Nath said.

Bayzog caught him by the elbow.

“We might not get another moment,” he said. “Let the Roaming Rangers handle this. They’re more than capable.”

Nath pulled away with a fierce look at Bayzog. A dangerous element lurked behind his golden eyes. Power ready to lash out at any moment.

“You have to be able to rely on others,” Bayzog said, easing the Elderwood Staff in front of his chest. He drew strength from it. Readied words of power on his lips.

Nath avoided his eyes. “They might miss something.”

“They won’t,” Bayzog said. “You know better than that.”

It had been half a day since they departed. The gnomes’ trail drifted from the river and went deeper into the forest. According to Nath, whatever chased the gnomes wasn’t trying to kill them. It wanted to trap them somewhere.

“We’re close,” Nath said, flaring his nostrils. “I picked up the scent minutes ago.” He’d been running hard, with Bayzog following on horseback. Brenwar, Ben and one more Ranger were behind them, somewhere. When Nath slowed, he clutched his side, wincing. He clutched at it again.

“That shard in you,” Bayzog said, “it’s gone deeper.”

“I’m fine.”

Bayzog could see the weight of the world in Nath’s eyes. And something else. Worry.

“No secrets, Nath. Tell me about the dream you mentioned.”

Nath shook his head and kept on walking.

Bayzog could tell his friend had let something slip out that he didn’t want to explain. But the excitement of the conversation led right to it.

“Nath,” Bayzog said, catching up with him. “I must insist.”

Nath jerked around.

“Alright!” He took a breath. “Alright then.” Nath sat on the pine-needled forest floor and leaned against a tree. “Gorn Grattack.”

Bayzog recoiled and lost his breath. Recovering, he kneeled by Nath’s side and said, “What about him?”

“He appeared in my dream. He spoke. He said he was coming to get me,” Nath said, rubbing his forehead. “Why would I have a dream about that, Bayzog? Why?” He glanced at his claws. His eyes traced the white patches of scales on them. “If I’m doing right, then why do I feel so wrong?”

Bayzog felt a chill inside his chest. His hand rested on the amulet he shared with his family. His son Samaz often had dark dreams. He never told Bayzog, but he did tell his mother, Sasha, who in turn confided in him. He worried how they were doing.

“You’ve been through much, Nath,” Bayzog said, trying to sound reassuring. “And we cannot understand the changes you’ve been through or the weight on your great shoulders. But Nath, we believe in you. We wouldn’t have made it this far if we hadn’t.”

Nath gazed up at him with a long look in his eyes and said, “I’m going to have to leave.”

“No, we’ve talked about that.”

“But Bayzog, Gorn Grattack said he was coming for me. He called me a meddler. He said he would kill all my friends.” Nath’s hand fell on Fang’s hilt. “I can’t protect you from him. His might, Bayzog. I could feel it. Nothing ever shook my marrow before, aside from my father.” He shook his head. “How can that be? How can Gorn Grattack still live?”

Bayzog wanted to pinch Nath’s lips shut. Gorn Grattack had been the greatest dragon in the last dragon war. The champion of evil. The enslaver of the world. So far as the wizard knew, none had uttered the evil dragon’s name or even written it in five hundred years. Since the last Great Dragon War was won. Saying the name, the old ones said, was the same as saying a curse. Few even knew about him in today’s world, except for the older elves, dwarves, and dragons. But careful measures were taken to make the name be forgotten.

Bayzog patted Nath’s knee and said, “Remember Nath, evil lies. I’d venture that he wants to separate you from those who look out for you. You’ll be easier to conquer alone. That’s what they want. That’s what they always want.”

“I don’t want to see my friends die because of me,” Nath said.

“That’s not your choice. It’s ours.”

Nath sulked for a bit, then stretched out his arm and let Bayzog help him to his feet. Placing his dragon paws on Bayzog’s shoulders, he said, “You’re a true friend, but I have to put an end to this.”

“No,
we
have to put an end to this, Nath. And don’t forget, your father says more help is coming.” Bayzog rubbed Nath’s corded forearms. The scales were smoother than wet river stones. “But it would be nice if we all had tough skin such as this. Perhaps I can create a spell for that one day.”

“Ho!” From high in his saddle, Brenwar yelled.

Ben and one of the Roaming Rangers fell in behind them. There was an Elven Steed for each of them now, aside from Nath.

“What’s going on here?” Brenwar said.

“Speaking of thick skin,” Nath mumbled.

Bayzog allowed a grin.

“Harrumph! What’s so amusing?” Brenwar’s nose twitched. “I smell secrecy. Out with it.”

“Bad dreams,” Nath said. “Bad dreams. Let’s walk and talk.”

***

Clearing the air did little to ease Brenwar’s disposition, or Ben’s either. They wouldn’t let Nath out of their sight for anything, especially now, after what he’d told them. However, unlike before, it didn’t bother him so much. The freedom Nath longed for was replaced with something greater: the companionship of his friends.

“Gnomes,” Brenwar huffed. “Of all the silly things, I ‘m tracking gnomes. Why don’t we chase after some bearded kobolds next? Hmmm?”

The dwarven fighter had been grumbling about it for almost an hour. He referred to the gnomes as ‘short men without stature’ and ‘goblins’ stupid cousins’. There was a litany of things dwarves didn’t like, and they loved to talk about them all.

Shum returned. His horse was lathered up, and there was a spark behind his stony eyes.

“You found them” Nath said.

“Indeed. Less than a league.”

Nath hated to ask the next question, but he did. “And what is their condition?”

“Alive, we believe. They’ve managed to traverse the cliffs farther east, and we think they are hidden in the caves.” Shum shook his head. “The caves are many.”

“And what of the creature that pursues them?” Nath said. “Any sign of it?”

“Its tracks stop at the edge of the cliff and vanish.”

“So, the Roaming Rangers have initiated a search in the cliffs.”

Shum shook his head.

“Why not?” Nath said.

“Above the cliffs … there be dragons.”

CHAPTER 16

The cliffs were sheer, but manageable. The stone surface was cut away in parts, forming level paths carved out long ago by another civilization. It reminded Nath of the rock-carved goblin fort in the Shale Hills where he had battled the necromancer Corzan. That seemed a lifetime ago.

The footing wouldn’t be difficult, even for a gnome. Vines hung over the rocky edges, and trees were abundant for climbing. Any cautious person could make the climb. A desperate person just as well. And there were plenty of caves dotting the cliff face, any of which was big enough to provide shelter.

But dragons circled above.

A dozen grey scalers.

Bigger than men.

The hunters of Barnabus.

“Brenwar,” Nath said, “can you make anything of the cliffs? Could the gnomes find another way to escape?”

“Solid,” he said. “Those caves aren’t carved, just porous spots in the rock face. Those ledges were roads once. Nothing more.” He squinted. “That’s why they remain. Only one way up and down, and we’re looking at it. If gnomes had any sense, they’d head back down.”

The gnomes had gone up for a reason, though. Something chased them. A predator. Swift and cunning. Nath had seen strange paw prints in the dirt. It was the faintest marking. Almost ghostly. Neither he nor the Wilder Elves could make out the full print, but Nath felt he should know it.

“Something else lurks down here,” he said to them all. “Be alert. I’m getting an odd feeling.”

Above, a grey scaler dove through the sky and neared one of the caves. A hovering bird of prey, it screeched at the hole.

Nath’s ears caught the twang of a bowstring loosed, and he watched an arrow whiz through the air and tear through the dragon’s wing.

It squawked, wings batting in fury and lifting it higher into the sky’s safety among the others.

“Rangers are posted along those rocks,” Shum said, pointing the way. “We’ve been fending them off since we got here. They can provide cover while we search the caves, but at some point or another we will have to battle those dragons. And there’s more of them than us.”